The Companion to Twentieth Century Opera Author:George Martin This complete reference guide to modern opera begins with a series of short essays on such matters as the break-up of 19th century styles, the development of new approaches and a detailed examination of the works of Britten, Janacek, Puccini, Prokofiev and Stravinsky. Synopses of 78 operas are included in the text, which should prove valuable to... more » general listeners in conveying what is occurring on stage whilst listening to the opera. The nature of the synopsis varies with the style of the opera, aiming to reveal its dramatic and musical structure. Timings are given for scenes, usual cuts indicated, offstage events related and sources and dates of premieres noted. For operas in foreign languages, translations of key words and phrases are provided.« less